Ball-socket.



A. U. DANVER.

BALL SOCKET, APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1914.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

INVE VTDR.

ANDREW G. DANVER, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND.

BALL-SOCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 11, 1914.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Serial No. 837,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW C. DANVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pawtucket, in the county of Providence and State of RhodeIsland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBall-Sockets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ball sockets, and the purpose ofmy invention is to provide a ball socket that will at all times keep thecontained ball under tension and free from rattle, and will also providea means for keeping the ball properly lubricated.

I accomplish these objects by the device shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a verticalsection of my device, and Fig. 2a view of a perforated screw plug, the function of which will behereinafter shown.

The same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the variousviews.

In Fig. 1, a is a vertical section of my device which comprises atubular cylindrical body a flanged at the lower portion thereof, asshown at a, and having at the lower end thereof the spherical concavitya forthe accommodation of a ball. (t represents the inner tubularportion of the device and e-e a bearing member which is in contact withthe contained ball when the device is in use. The lower flanged end 0 ofthis hearing member has a spherical concavity of the same curvature asthe ball upon which it is intended to fit. f in Fig. 1 is a spiralspring bearing upon the flanged head 6 of the bearing member and kept incompression at the upper end by the screw plug Z) which is threaded intothe interior of the upper extremity of a. The exterior of a at the upperend is also threaded and fitted with a cap 0 constituting a grease cup,a being the wall of the upper portion of the device between the interiorand exterior threads. The screw plug 6 is provided with a longitudinalperforation b and at its upper extremity, nearest the grease cup 0, isprovided with a slot 6 for the admission of a screw-driver.

When my device is in position, the ball to be held occupies thedepression a and the bearing member 6-0 is held firmly against the ballby means of the spiral spring I and the plug 6, any desired degree ofcompression being obtained by means of b and f. The grease cup 0 isfilled with suitable lubricant and is screwed down upon a in the mannerof an ordinary grease cup. By

surface and the interior of the tubular cavity a so that the lubricantby the screwing down of the cap 0 is forced into and upon the ball heldin the socket a", thus keeping the bearing surfaces a and e and theballalways properly lubricated. It is evident that instead of the singleperforation Z) in the screw plug 6, other perforations may be made, orlongitudinal recesses may be made,

in the external surface without departing from the principle of myinvention, which is the providing of a screw plug having a passage orpassages therein for the transmission of a lubricant contained in thegrease cup.

I am aware that prior to my invention ball sockets have been madecomprising a cylindrical tubular body, a bearing member, a spiralspring, and means for adjusting the tension between. thebearing memberand the ball held by it, but I am not aware that there has been anyprovision made for the lubrication of the ball by means of a grease cupintegral with said tubular body and a perforated screw plug permittingthe lubricant to reach the ball.

Having now described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is p 1. In a tubular ball socket adapted toreceive a ballat one end thereof and having a grease cup at the other end, a screwplug situated intermediate said grease cup and the ball end of thesocket, said screw plug being provided with a passage to permit thetransmission of lubricant from the grease cup to the ball end of thesocket in combination with said grease cup and said socket member,substantially as described.

2. In a ball socket the combination of a tubular cylindrical bodyadapted to receive a ball at one end thereof, with a grease cup, abearing member, a screw plug having a passage to permit the transmissionof lubri- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature cant from saidgrease cup to the contained in presence of two witnesses. ball, and aspiral spring between said screw plug and said bearing member, saidspring, ANDREW D 5 plug, and bearing member operating to regu-Witnesses:

late the tension between said socket and the THOMAS P. CORCORAN,

contained ball, substantially as setforth. EDITH M. BROMLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 0! Patents,

Washington, I). C.

